Spark plug cleaner

ABSTRACT

A spark plug cleaner includes a cylindrical container with cleaning fluid and has internally threaded apertured ends. A plug mounting a file is threadedly engaged in one end and a second plug mounting a brush is threadedly engaged in the other end. The file and the brush are used to clean the plug. The apertures in the ends of the container are adapted to receive a threaded end portion of a spark plug to be cleaned. The file and brush are axially offset with respect to each other to permit them to nest and mutually clean each other as they are replaced in the container.

[ Feb. 4, 1975 1 SPARK PLUG CLEANER [76] Inventor: James E. Puckett,14495 S.W'. Barlow Rd., Beaverton, Oreg. 97005 22 Filed: Nov. 12,1973

21 Appl.No.:414,739

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l1/l9l6 Ware 206/211 7/1920Galbreath 15/104.01 R

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Great Britain 15/111 PrimaryExaminer-Edward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or Firml(larquist, Sparkman,Campbell, Leigh, Hall & Whinston 7] ABSTRACT A spark plug cleanerincludes a cylindrical container with cleaning fluid and has internallythreaded apertured ends. A plug mounting a file is threadcdly engaged inone end and a second plug mounting a brush is threadedly engaged in theother end. The file and the brush are used to clean the plug. Theapertures in the ends of the container are adapted to receive a threadedend portion of a spark plug to be cleaned. The file and brush areaxially offset with respect to each other to permit them to nest andmutually clean each other as they are replaced in the container.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 41ers SHEEI 10F 2 FIG. 2

SPARK PLUG CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 7 This invention relatesto devices for the cleaning and maintenance of spark plugs and. moreparticularly. to a spark plug cleaner suitable for the cleaning andmaintenance of spark plugs for recreation vehicles such as motorcycles.snowmobiles. boats. dunecycles and the like.

The use of motorcycles. snowmobiles and other similar recreationvehicles is rapidly increasing and the nature of these vehicles andtheir use is such that the user is often far removed from servicefacilities in the event of a mechanical breakdown. Furthermore. thesevehicles are for the most part powered by two cycle gasoline engines inwhich about 90. percent of all engine failures are due to spark plugfouling. The problem is particularly aggravated when it is consideredthat the engines for these types of vehicles generally run at highertemperatures than. automobile engines. making spark plug life extremelyerratic.

There have been a number of spark plug cleaning devices disclosed in theprior art. but none has been completely satisfactory. Accordingly, it isthe primary object of the present invention to provide a spark plugcleaning device that will be able to clean and maintain on an emergencybasis the spark plugs used in motorcycles, snowmobiles and similarrecreation type vehicles.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such acleaning device in a self. contained unit wherein the elementsthemselves are cleaned and maintained as they are assembled togetherfollowing a particular spark plug cleaning use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My spark plug cleaning device comprises acylindrical container for containing a cleaning. fluid and has endclosure means for each end of such container. A first internallythreaded aperture is axially disposed in one of the end closure means. Afirst externally threaded plug means is adapted to be removably receivedin such first internally threaded aperture and generally axiallyextending file means are mounted in such first externally threaded plugmeans for internal disposition within said container.

A second internally threaded aperture isaxially-disposed in the otherend closure means and a second externally threaded plug means is adaptedto be removably received in such second internally threadedv aperture.Generally axially extending brush means are mounted in such secondexternally threaded plug means for internal disposition within saidcontainer.

The file means and the brush means are offset axially with respect toeach other to permit the same to nest together and mutually clean eachother as they are replaced in the container.

Each of the internally threaded apertures in theend closure means of thecontainer is adapted to receive a threaded end portion of a spark plugto be cleaned. Optionally. the diameter of each of such internallythreaded apertures is adapted to receive a spark plug threaded endportion for a spark plug of a different diameter. When the containerwith a thus threadedly. attached spark plug is shaken, the cleaningfluid cleans the threaded end of such plug.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sparkplug cleaning device of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 illustrates a use of the file means in cleaning a spark plug.

FIG. 4 illustrates another use of the file means in cleaning a sparkplug.

FIG. 5 illustrates a use ofthe brush means in cleaning a spark plug.

FIG. 6 illustrates the device with a spark plug threadedly engaged in anend portion thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings. my sparkplug cleaning device 10 includes a cylindrical container II. which maybe injection molded or vacuum drawn from plastic in two halves 12 whichare welded together in a centrally located. circumferentially extendingseam 13. Each of the molded halves I2 is provided with an end closure 14which is itself provided with an internally threaded (female) aperture15. one such end closure l4 preferably being provided with an 18 mm.internal thread diameter and the other a l4 mm. internal thread diameterfor'the reception of spark plugs of those sizes. Optionally. thecontainer can be made from 1V: inch diameter plastic tubing to which endclosures as above described are welded.

A first molded'or vacuum drawn plastic cover 16 having a knurledperiphery l7 and an externally threaded, axially disposed (male) plug 18of preferably. l8 mm. thread diameter is provided for the corre'sponding end closure 20 of the container ll (end A). A 0.025 inch thickgenerally axially extending metal flle 21 is eccentrically mounted inthe plug 18 such that when the latter is threadedly engaged with thecorresponding aperture 22 in end A. the file 21 is disposed internallywithin the container 11, although axially offset with respect to theaxis 23 thereof.

A second molded or vacuum drawn plastic cover 24 having a knurledperiphery 25 and an axially disposed externally threaded (male plug 26of preferably, l4 mm. thread diameter is provided for threadedengagement with the internally threaded aperture 27 in the other endclosure 28 (end B) of the container 11. An axially extending horsehairbrush 30 is centrally mounted in the plug 26 such that when the same isthreadedly engaged with its corresponding aperture 27 in end B, thebrush 30 is internally disposed within the container 11, being axiallyaligned with the axis 23 thereof.

The plugs 18 and 26 are each provided with sufficient threads tomaintain a liquid-tight seal for the container 11, thus securely toretain cleaning fluid therewithin and prevent inadvertent losstherefrom.

It is noted that the 18 mm. thread diameter of aperture 22 in end A andthe 14 mm. thread diameter of aperture 27 in end B fit the two mostcommon spark plug thread sizes currently in use. It is further notedthat the 0.025 inch thick file 21 can be used as a guide for settingelectrode clearances inasmuch as the same are generally of thatdimension. If desired, however, the shank of the file may be of astepped construction to correspond with differing spark plug electrodegaps.

ln operation, if a spark plug 31 in a recreation type of vehicle becomesfouled and requires cleaning, the cover 16 and plug 18 in end A arefirst removed from aperture 22, with care being taken to hold thecontainer 11 upright to prevent loss ofcleaning fluid from within. Thepointed end 32 of the file 21 is then used to remove carbon depositsfrom the electrode area 33 of the spark plug 31 and the cutting surface34 of the file 21 is used to deglaze the center electrode 35 and theground electrode 36. The fact that the file 21 is 0.025 inch thick makesit possible to use the same as an accurate guide for setting theelectrode clearance 37. The plug 18 with the file 21 is then replaced inthe container 11 and the cover 16 tightened to prevent loss of cleaningfluid.

The cover 24 and plug 26 in end B are then removed from aperture 27,with care also being taken to prevent loss of fluid from within thecontainer 11, and the brush 30 is used to wash both the electrodes 35and 36 and the spark plug threads 38. The spark plug 31 is thenthreadedly engaged into aperture 27 in end B (unless it has a threadsize to require engagement in end A) and the spark plug 31 and container11 are then shaken vigorously to permit the cleaning fluid to remove anyoil and remaining deposits from the electrode area 33.

The spark plug 31 is then removed and the plug 26 and brush 30 are thenreplaced in end B of the container 11 and the cover 24 tightened toprevent any loss of cleaning fluid. The spark plug 31 is then ready forreplacement in the engine.

The axial offset disposition of the file 21 and brush 30 places thecutting surface 34 of the file 21 generally tangential to the peripheryof the brush 30 so that the file scrapes the brush as they are replacedin the container 11 (see FIG. 2), and this achieves a mutualselfcleaning of both file and brush. The offset location further permitsthe file 21 and brush 30 to nest together without interference withincontainer 11.

The device of the instant invention is particularly suited for sparkplug cleaning and maintenance in motorcycle, snowmobile, boat,dunecycle, chain saw and like engines. The device, however, may be usedfor other emergency purposes as, for example, ignition drying; and thecleaning of fuel and air filters; throttle, brake and clutch cables;starting ropes; handle grips; drive belts; clutch and brake linings; andgeneral part cleaning. And as can be readily seen. the container 11 maybe refilled with cleaning fluid as necessary.

I claim:

1. A spark plug cleaning device comprising:

a cylindrical container adapted to contain a cleaning end closure meansfor each end of said container;

a first internally threaded aperture axially disposed in one of said endclosure means;

first externally threaded plug means adapted to be removably received insaid first internally threaded aperture;

generally axially extending file means mounted in said first externallythreaded plug means and adapted to be disposed internally of saidcontainer; a second internally threaded aperture axially disposed in theother of said end closure means;

second externally threaded plug means adapted to be removably receivedin said second internally threaded aperture; generally axially extendingbrush means mounted in said second externally threaded plug means andadapted to be disposed internally of said container;

said file means and said brush means being axially offset with respectto each other to permit the same to nest together and mutually cleaneach other as they are replaced in said container;

each of said internally threaded apertures in said end closure meansbeing adapted to receive a threaded end portion of a spark plug to becleaned.

2. A spark plug cleaning device as in claim 1 wherein said brush meansis mounted in said second externally threaded plug means coaxially withthe axis of said container and said file means is mounted in said firstexternally threaded plug means offset from said axis of said container,the surface of said file means being generally tangential to theperiphery of said brush means.

3. A spark plug cleaning device as in claim 1 wherein the diameter ofeach of said internally threaded apertures in said end closure means isadapted to receive a spark plug threaded end portion of a differentdiameter.

4. A spark plug cleaning device as in claim 1 wherein the thickness ofsaid file is equal to a desired spark plug electrode gap.

1. A spark plug cleaning device comprising: a cylindrical containeradapted to contain a cleaning fluid; end closure means for each end ofsaid container; a first internally threaded aperture axially disposed inone of said end closure means; first externally threaded plug meansadapted to be removably received in said first internally threadedaperture; generally axially extending file means mounted in said firstexternally threaded plug means and adapted to be disposed internally ofsaid container; a second internally threaded aperture axially disposedin the other of said end closure means; second externally threaded plugmeans adapted to be removably received in said second internallythreaded aperture; generally axially extending brush means mounted insaid second externally threaded plug means and adapted to be disposedinternally of said container; said file means and said brush means beingaxially offset with respect to each other to permit the same to nesttogether and mutually clean each other as they are replaced in saidcontainer; each of said internally threaded apertures in said endclosure means being adapted to receive a threaded end portion of a sparkplug to be cleaned.
 2. A spark plug cleaning device as in claim 1wherein said brush means is mounted in said second externally threadedplug means coaxially with the axis of said container and said file meansis mounted in said first externally threaded plug means offset from saidaxis of said container, the surface of said file means being generallytangential to the periphery of said brush means.
 3. A spark plugcleaning device as in claim 1 wherein the diameter of each of saidinternally threaded apertures in said end closure means is adapted toreceive a spark plug threaded end portion of a different diameter.
 4. Aspark plug cleaning device as in claim 1 wherein the thickness of saidfile is equal to a desired spark plug electrode gap.